title: Metabolism, physiological role, and clinical implications of sphingolipids in gastrointestinal tract.
abstract: Sphingolipids in digestive system are responsible for numerous important physiological and pathological processes. In the membrane of gut epithelial cells, sphingolipids provide structural integrity, regulate absorption of some nutrients, and act as receptors for many microbial antigens and their toxins. Moreover, bioactive sphingolipids such as ceramide or sphingosine-1-phosphate regulate cellular growth, differentiation, and programmed cell death-apoptosis. Although it is well established that sphingolipids have clinical implications in gastrointestinal tumorigenesis or inflammation, further studies are needed to fully explore the role of sphingolipids in neoplastic and inflammatory diseases in gastrointestinal tract. Pharmacological agents which regulate metabolism of sphingolipids can be potentially used in the management of colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel diseases. The aim of this work is to critically the review physiological and pathological roles of sphingolipids in the gastrointestinal tract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical University of Bialystok, Mickiewicza Street 2C, 15-222 Białystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurek
authors.forename: Bartłomiej
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Łukaszuk
authors.forename: Dominika M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Piotrowska
authors.forename: Patrycja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wiesiołek
authors.forename: Anna Małgorzata
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Chabowska
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zendzian-Piotrowska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013107:Sphingolipids